Promoting One Health and Conservation through Student Internships

National Park Service

Description

NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD This Funding Announcement is not a request for applications. This announcement is to provide public notice of the National Park Service (NPS), intention to fund the following project activities without competition. ABSTRACT Funding Announcement P15AS00246 Project Title Promoting One Health and Conservation through Student Internships Recipient Colorado State University Total Anticipated Award Amount $92,997.00 Cost Share none Anticipated Length of Agreement From date of award until 12/30/ 2019 Anticipated Period of Performance From date of award until 12/30/ 2019 Award Instrument Cooperative Agreement Statutory Authority 54 USC 101702(b) CFDA # and Title 15.954 Cooperative Research & Training Programs Resources of NPS CESU���s Single Source Justification Criteria Cited (2) Continuation Point of Contact June Zastrow 303-987-6718 june_zastrow@nps.gov OVERVIEW Cooperative Agreement Number P14AC00728 was entered into by and between the Department of the Interior, National Park Service (NPS), and Colorado State University (CSU) for the purpose of providing research, technical assistance, and/or education, as described below. Unless otherwise specified herein, the terms and conditions as stated in the Cooperative Agreement will apply to this Task Agreement. One Health is the recognition that human, animal, and environmental health is interconnected and health outcomes improve through interdisciplinary efforts. The NPS supports veterinary, public health, and environmental health programs that function with a One Health approach to provide Service-wide guidance and park-specific technical assistance to national parks. One Health-focused projects present excellent educational opportunities to introduce students to applied multi-disciplinary health approaches. The objectives of this agreement are to 1) provide One Health internships and professional mentoring to college students, and 2) collaborate with staff and students at CSU to complete One Health projects. Specific projects will be assigned based on NPS needs and students��� skills and interests. Each project will develop a product or summary report that will contribute to public health or natural resource management and that will engage interns in conservation efforts through the lens of health. STATEMENT OF JOINT OBJECTIVES/PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN Background One Health is the recognition that human, animal, and environmental health is interconnected and health outcomes improve through interdisciplinary efforts. The NPS supports veterinary, public health, and environmental health expertise that operate independently but also collaborate to function using a One Health approach. These programs provide Service-wide guidance and park-specific technical assistance to national parks. Because of the inextricable link between the health of humans and other animals, collaboration between the programs is inherent to success of each. One Health-focused projects present excellent educational opportunities to introduce students to applied multi-disciplinary health approaches. When implemented in the NPS, students experience the connection of health to conservation of natural resources that the NPS is entrusted to protect. The internships also support the Department of the Interior���s youth initiative to engage the next generation of outdoor stewards and inspire millions of young adults to play, learn, serve and work in the great outdoors. Approach The objectives of this agreement are to: 1) Provide One Health internships and professional mentoring to college students. 2) Collaborate with staff and students at CSU to complete One Health projects that assist national parks in five focus areas. Students and staff will assist in NPS One Health activities in five focus areas: unified disease surveillance, consensus guidance on health-related issues, interdisciplinary response to emergent events, integrated public and internal messaging, and a combined research agenda. Specific projects will be assigned based on NPS needs and students��� skills and interests. Each project will develop a product, or alternatively a summary report. Products may include, but are not limited to developing factsheets, web content, or training materials; developing or populating databases; contributing to research or disease surveillance projects; and providing support during disease outbreaks. Students from undergraduates to post-doctoral candidates will be provided with an opportunity to engage with NPS staff in the work setting. Additionally, NPS staff will teach students in the classroom, for example, providing guest lectures for veterinary, public health, and wildlife courses. These interactions will help develop a generation of One Health practitioners and will engage youth in conservation efforts through the lens of health. B. Project schedule and milestones: ��� Recruit and train about 2-3 student interns annually (2015-2019). ��� If future funding becomes available, the number of interns will be increased. ��� Identify product to be completed (prior to each internship) and finalize the product or report from each intern (within one month of end of internship) ��� Provide guest lectures to college courses (about 1-2 annually) RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT CSU agrees to: ��� Collaboratively undertake a project titled ���Promoting One Health and Conservation through Student Internships��� as described in this task agreement. ��� Assist with recruitment of highly qualified students to conduct internships. ��� Contribute professional and supervisory support to students to assist in completion of projects. ��� Provide opportunities for NPS staff to deliver guest lectures or other teaching contributions. NATIONAL PARK SERVICE INVOLVEMENT ��� Jointly select students and develop mutually agreed upon products to be completed during internships. ��� Provide mentorship and serve as work leader for students during the internships. ��� Present guest lectures or make other teaching contributions as mutually agreed upon. SINGLE-SOURCE JUSTIFICATION DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR SINGLE SOURCE POLICY REQUIREMENTS Department of the Interior Policy (505 DM 2) requires a written justification which explains why competition is not practicable for each single-source award. The justification must address one or more of the following criteria as well as discussion of the program legislative history, unique capabilities of the proposed recipient, and cost-sharing contribution offered by the proposed recipient, as applicable. In order for an assistance award to be made without competition, the award must satisfy one or more of the following criteria: (1) Unsolicited Proposal ��� The proposed award is the result of an unsolicited assistance application which represents a unique or innovative idea, method, or approach which is not the subject of a current or planned contract or assistance award, but which is deemed advantageous to the program objectives; (2) Continuation ��� The activity to be funded is necessary to the satisfactory completion of, or is a continuation of an activity presently being funded, and for which competition would have a significant adverse effect on the continuity or completion of the activity; (3) Legislative intent ��� The language in the applicable authorizing legislation or legislative history clearly indicates Congress��� intent to restrict the award to a particular recipient of purpose; (4) Unique Qualifications ��� The applicant is uniquely qualified to perform the activity based upon a variety of demonstrable factors such as location, property ownership, voluntary support capacity, cost-sharing ability if applicable, technical expertise, or other such unique qualifications; (5) Emergencies ��� Program/award where there is insufficient time available (due to a compelling and unusual urgency, or substantial danger to health or safety) for adequate competitive procedures to be followed. NPS did not solicit full and open competition for this award based the following criteria: (2) Continuation This is a Task Agreement (P15AC01354) under Cooperative Agreement (P14AC00728) in the amount of $92,997.00 with a period of performance from date of award until 12/31/2019. "This proposed project between Colorado State University and the NPS is authorized to go through the Rocky Mountains CESU at the negotiated overhead rate of 17.5% because it passes the test of substantial involvement by the NPS, public purpose and consistency with the mission of the CESU Network".

Who can apply

• Public and State controlled institutions of higher education

Contact

June Zastrow, 303-987-6718<br/>June_Zastrow@nps.gov<br/>
June_Zastrow@nps.gov